Aid funding reaches record levels despite recession: UN
Funding for United Nations aid operations worldwide has reached record levels so far this year despite the economic recession, UN humanitarian chief John Holmes said Tuesday.
Over half way through 2009, notionally cash-strapped donor countries have contributed some 4.6 billion dollars (3.24 billion euros) of the current total of 9.5 billion dollars the UN has targeted for the full year.
"Funding for these appeals so far in 2009 is the best ever at mid-year both in absolute terms and as a percentage of requirements," the Under Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs said after meeting donor nations here.
"The good news is that despite the global recession, funding from governments at least has been maintained for humantarian needs, despite the increased needs."
Coverage of the total needs in recent years has sometimes been as low as 23 percent after six months, and last year donor nations provided 2.9 billion dollars or 46 percent of the UN's annual relief budget over the same period.
However, the needs in 2009 are also running at record levels, with 4.8 billion dollars outstanding for the rest of the year, and Holmes urged donors to keep up the momentum.
"If just a fraction of the hundreds of billions of dollars recently committed by governments to private financial institutions were allocated to humanitarian action, these appeals could already be fully funded," he said.
Nonetheless, in a good full year, donor funding for crisis relief covers just two-thirds to 70 percent of the amount the United Nations sought.
Needs have risen substantially since the beginning of the year due to unexpected crises like the displacement in northwestern Pakistan, which on its own added nearly 490 million dollars to the UN aid appeal for 2009.
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